本研究採用了“社會問題的社會建構論＂、“社會排斥＂ 與“演化的優勢視角＂等理論視角，建立了本研究解釋中國“問題流浪兒童＂的理論基礎。之後，研究者依靠質性研究方法以及將流浪兒童作為可靠的報告人，重點訪談了武漢某工讀學校12-16 歲的問題流浪兒童10 人、學校老師5 人，並主要藉由“深層描述＂的資料分析方法，由此獲得了以下三個重要發現：一是本研究立足於“邊緣化與規範化、抗爭與服從＂的兩組張力，著
重從流浪兒童在家童-街童-工讀生的身份建構的動態過程中，發現了與主流論述不同的關於工讀學校流浪兒童的新理解，即將流浪兒童定義為“被拋棄的＂、“務工與負責任的＂、“具有優勢力量的＂、“處於特殊困境中
的流浪兒童＂，以此衝擊了主流論述將流浪兒童描述為“嚴重社會問題＂的定義，及其不可避免地導致了另類處置策略；二是引申出了本研究發現對於現有的流浪兒童政策的啟示，包括“重複遣送回原居住地政策的失敗＂、“救助保護中心的政策＂及“懲罰與改造的政策＂等啟示；三是立足於優勢視角下的社會工作輔導在流浪兒童工讀學校介入的合法性歷程的總結，研究者提出了一個社會工作輔導的工作模式的初步建議。This thesis began by establishing a theoretical explanation of "problem street children" in China through a review on theoretical perspectives such as social construction theory of social problems, social exclusion and the strengths perspective. Based on qualitative research methods and taking street children as reliable informants, the "lived experiences" of street children in their original rural homes, street corner societies and reform school were documented and analyzed. The aim of the research was threefold: firstly, the hitherto "doubly-silenced" street children could voice out their suppressed views making understanding of street children in reform school from a fresh angle possible; secondly, to draw implications on the current policies and services for street children; and thirdly, to formulate an intervention model on "social work counseling" applicable in the reform school. In order to achieve the above aims, an ethnographic approach involving ten teenagers between 12 to 16, and five teachers in a reformed school in Wuhan was deployed as the main research method. Materials captured through systematic interviews and observations were analyzed using deep-description. Three major findings were: firstly, when the dynamic processes of identity re-construction, (from children at home to children on the street to being reform school students), were detailed against two sets of tensions, i.e., between being marginalized or structuralized and oscillating between resistive and obedient, we were able to bring out new understanding about street children in reform school in terms of being abandoned, able to work and be responsible, resilient in difficult situations. This is in direct contradiction with mainstream description of street children as a serious social problem which inevitably leads to extremely different strategies of management. Secondly, implications were drawn on existing policies including repeated failure with repatriation to place of origin policy, rescue and protection centre policy, as well as discipline transformation policy. Thirdly, based on the process of gaining legality in the provision of "social work counseling" in the reform school, the researcher proposed a working model on social work counseling. The research has inherent limitations in that the findings were based only on teenage boys from a single setting. Unfortunately, there is an extreme paucity of literature on street children in China, in particular, scattered and thin when it comes to female street children. Applicability of the social work counseling model on teenage girls remains to be examined.

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